First Encounters
by Mars.tales
Summary: An unlikely encounter between two sworn enemies, and it may not be the last of it.
1. First Encounter

After watching Lavender shove her tounge down Ron's throat, Hermione felt like throwing up.

She angrily muttered to herself as she made her way downthe moving staircases. "That bastard! Ronald can't seem to go one minute without that daft bimbo on him!"

She didn't care where she went.

She simply wanted to be left alone. Hiding in the library would be too obvious, too easy. Instead, she opted togoing into the bathroom Moaning Myrtle currently inhabited.

Hermione was beginning to feel tears welling up in her eyes.

But she couldn't be caught crying in a corridor; rumors would begin to fly around.

Soon enough, she reached her destination.

The moment the door closed behind her, she broke down.

She hadn't remembered if she cast a silencing charm or not.

Her cries echoed through the seemingly empty lavatory.

She didn't care about disturbing Moaning Myrtle.

She didn't care about abruptly leaving her friends behind.

She simply didn't care. And she felt broken inside.

She slid down the wall, tears streaming down her once composed face.

Her mind kept replaying every moment that involved Ron and Lavender. Reminding her of how she ended up crying ina deserted bathroom floor.

Suddenly, she heard a small click coming from a bathroom stall.

' Merlin, why hadn't I bothered on making sure no one else was here.' She felt embarrased to be caught in such state. Her, the golden girl, found running off into a bathroom to cry. Seemed pathetic.

She quickly wiped her tears on her sleeves, and turned her back on whoever had just exited the stall. Hopefully, whoever it was would quickly leave.

However, a very familiar voice spoke out.

"Merlin Granger, didn't realize you too were having trouble in paradise."

She tried to regain her composure before even facing Malfoy.

"Malfoy, are you quite aware that you are in a _girls_ lavatory?"

"To be fairly honest, I didn't think another soul would dare come in here."

She finally decided to turn and face him. His shirt was untucked, his once smooth hair was completely disheveled. His face had no trace if malice in them, which was very peculiar. It was a rare sight.

"What happened to you?" She blurted out.

"I believe I asked you a question first Granger." He retorted back.

Looks like the ferret couldn't seem to hold back a remark.

She eyed him suspiciously, not sure if this was all happening in her mind. As if Malfoy would ever try to have a civil conversation with her, given that they were always throwin insults at one another.

Deciding to take on this rare opportunity she replied.

"I.. I guess you can say that." She looked down, not wanting to look at him, not wanting him of all people actually see how broken she felt.

' Then why in Merlin's name did you even say that?!'

"I bet it's that Weasel again, isn't it?"

He took her silence as a confirmation to his question.

" I don't quite understand what you see in him. The Weasel has no qualifying factors. I can't quite understand how the brightest witch of our age would be so caught up on such a poor excuse of a man."

She looked up at Malfoy with wide eyes. Had he just given her an honest opinion? One that involved no insults thrown at her? Had he just complimented her?

So many other thoughts were running through her head on such short time. She was finally at a loss for words. She tried opening her mouth, but no matter, no word came out.

"C'mon Granger, you can't say I'm wrong."

She couldn't understand. Why was Malfoy being like this?

"Why are being so.. so .. civil with me? I frankly don't understand."

"Well when someone runs in to a lavatory bawling their eyes out, one does tend to worry a bit. And sure enough, I managed to find the root of the problem."

Yet, she continued to lok at him as if he had grown another head.

"Malfoy, are feeling quiote alright? Not once have you ever asked how I felt, or what makes my day go completely awry? It's a rare encounter, is all."

Malfoy scoffed. "Look, I'm simply trying to be nice for once. And given how shaken you looked, it would be of bad manner to simply walk out."

"How.. kind of you, really."

"Well, now that that's sorted out, if you'll excuse me, I have places to be at Granger."

He abruptly walked out of the lavatory, not waiting for another word to be exhanged.

Hermione was still at a loss. " Bloody hell, what happened to Malfoy?"

She decided to stay in the lavatory a few more minutes before deciding to join her friends again.

 **I greatly appreciate if ya'll could leave reviews on this story. Hopefully this story pleases you all.**

 **Once again, Thanks for reading. :)**

 **-m**


	2. The Apology

After their encounter in the lavatory, Draco and Hermione pretended as if nothing had happened.

They continued to throw insults at one another and their respective gang. Both oblivious to the fact that the other longed for a second encounter. Of course, both would rather ignore it than admit it to themselves.

However, neither could deny that they had been glancing at the other every so often during and in between classes.

Days passed by, and things seemingly started to fall back in place, going on with their regular routines.

Hermione settled in her usual spot in the library. having set the required book on the tanle, she began to do her homework. As always, she lost herself in her studies, blocking out any sort of movement going on around her.

"Thought I'd find you here Granger."

She looked up from her notes to find thre source of the voice.

"What are you doing here Malfoy? Ran out of first years to insult?" She definetely was not in the mood to bicker off with Malfoy, but .. maybe just this once.

"Better yet, are you spying on me now?" She sneered before he could even respond.

He let out a quiet chuckle. "Is it bad that I would simply like to have a civil conversation with you Granger?" His infamous smirk never failed to appear.

He went ahead and sat himself directly across from her.

"Merlin's beard, what has gotten into you lately?" She looked at him, trying to make out his exact intentions.

"I've been meaning to you know, ask how it's been going with weasel-bee."

She cut him off before he could continue. "Your concern is very touching, Malfoy,"she scoffed before turning her attention back to her notes.

"C'mon Granger, don't get so full of yourself. Believe whatever you'd like, but I'm telling you, I'm not as big of a jerk as you think. I'm trying to right my wrongs."

"Right your wrongs?" Hermione spat out.

"Do you happen to mean making cruel remarks and jokes everytime I happen to be in your presence, or perhaps by calling me that foul, derogatory word, or as you use it, Mudblood, which is it?" Hermione did not feel like holding back. Years of pent up anger seemingly wanted to be let out.

He didn't even dare look up.

 _"_ What? Is the almighty Draco Malfoy finally at a loss for words? Such a shame-"

"Merlin's beard, Granger. Just listen to me for one second." He paused, not sure how to exactly continue.

By this point, he was looking straight at her.

"I acknowledge I've been an enormous egotistical arse, especially to you. Calling you that foul word is not acceptable, and I'm fully aware of that, but please understand I was brought up thinking I was 'above everyone else'. I thought my reputation was far more inmpotant. I recognize I made a huge mistake, and I can't take any of that back. I apologize, for making you suffer for nearly 6 years, for causing any pain.

"Again, I'm sorry for being an arse, and I bloody did deserve that punch back in our third year. If I cross out of line, Merlin, don't hesitate to do so."

Hermione let out a small chuckle, recalling how bloody amazing it felt to let out her anger on him.

"I greatly appreciate and _accept_ your apology. I recognize you have grown, partly, out of your old ways. Everyone does deserve a second chance, and I must say it would be a nice change to be civil for once." She gave Malfoy a small smile, showing her sincerity.

"It's great to know that after all, you've decided to change.." Frankly, she did not know how to continue, and remained silent.

Sensing the sudden awkwardness around them, he stood up, thinking it was best to leave now.

"I'll leave you to your studies Granger."

He turned to leave when Hermione bid her own goodbye.

"See you around ferret."

He stopped and let out a smirk. He knew that for once she said it with no malice laced in her words.

"See you around Granger."

* * *

merlin, have i been behind on my updates..

well i hope you enjoyed this chapter

please review. it would help a lot. Thanks :)

-m


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